Are you in need of a good book to jump start your inner artist? This week, I'm sharing a few of my favorite books that never fail to inspire me, and a couple that I recently added to my reading list.
1. Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep by Michael Schulman
"Can I just say? There is no such thing as the best actress. There is no such thing as the greatest living actress. I am in a position where I have secret information, you know, and I know this to be true."
-Meryl Streep
I was gifted this book by a dear friend and was immediately engrossed in this behind the scenes story of the early years of the actress who has been nominated for a record 21 Academy Awards. It's easy to assume that Meryl Streep was always the poised, confident, and powerhouse actress that we know today, but like every human being and artist, she is so much more than meets the eye, and this candid portrait of her endeared her even more. If you're like me and often believe that you must make it to the top of the mountain, that you must find the secret, then this book is for you.
2. What I Know Now edited by Ellyn Spragins
"Please yourself first...everything else follows."
-Macy Gray
This book was also a gift from a friend and is the ideal read if you are short on time and are looking for brief essays that pack a powerful punch. Women from all walks of life, including Madeline Albright, Maya Angelou, Vanna White, and Macy Gray were interviewed in regards to what they wish they could tell their younger self. It's honest, real, and has really helped me cultivate some compassion for my younger and present self.
3. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
"You do not need anyone's permission to live a creative life."
-Elizabeth Gilbert
Liz Gilbert's book reads like a manifesto for grabbing life by the horns and making it your own, right here and now. Not only will these essays inspire you to write that book, sing that song, and dance as wild as you want, it will also encourage you to expand your definition of what it means to live a creative life. An artistic life isn't confined to the page or stage; it means allowing yourself to express your authentic self and not be afraid of what others will think of your journey, which in the end, is yours.
4. On Writing by Stephen King
"I remember an immense feeling of possibility...as if I had been ushered into a vast building filled with closed doors and had been given leave to open any I liked."
-Stephen King
I just picked this up from the Boston Public Library last week and am already hooked. Like me, you may know King as the author of 56 novels, but what you may not have realized is that his successful writing career has also been punctuated by teaching high school and working at a laundry business, while writing in the evenings and weekends, and battling alcoholism over the years. Half memoir and half of what he calls a "toolbox" for writers, the book promises to go deeper than the glamour and fame of artists we know and admire, and reveal the real and raw human beings beneath the surface.
5. Rising Strong by Brené Brown
"The most dangerous stories we make up are the narratives that diminish our inherent worthiness. We must reclaim the truth about our lovability, divinity, and creativity."
-Brené Brown
Brené Brown has long been a favorite storyteller and researcher of mine, and this book digs deep into the how of getting back up on our feet after we fall, fail, or forget how strong we really are. It's full of stories from her own life and the life of people just like you and I, seeking belonging and connection with our family, friends, and community, and is a vital reminder that artists are also human and our ability to create and dream relies on a sturdy foundation of knowing just how worthy we are of being in this world.
6. Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, & Sharpen Your Creative Mind edited by Jocelyn K. Glei
"You have a choice in where you direct your attention. choose wisely. The world will wait. And if it's important, they'll call back."
-James Victore
I am feeling the tech and information overload pretty acutely these days, and while I don't need more convincing that excessive screen time hinders our ability to live a life that is free from distraction and rich in connection, I do need to learn more tools for taming my tech habits. Enter this little gem, sent via snail mail from one of my friends on the West Coast. Short essays by Gretchen Rubin, Seth Godin, and Lori Deschene provide concrete strategies to help us get unstuck from our devices and craft a way of life that allows us the time we crave to create what we want to in the world. And who couldn't use that kind of assistance?
